flyersfan31
Touchdown! Greaser!
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- Mar 31, 2006
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Freiburgfan31
No, not Nick's dog.
As I was perusing Controller this evening (the printed version) I took a second look at the big 2 page spread Piper ad. You've probably seen it, it's been in virtually every aviation journal. Down the left hand is a series of pix of the aircraft with a one-word ad agency descriptor. Meridian, Mirage, Matrix, Saratoga, 6X, Archer all show up. I'm not surprised they left out Seminole, Warrior, and Arrow.
I was surprised that Seneca didn't make the cut. The more I think about it, the more I think the Seneca's days are numbered. The Matrix does everything the V does, with better load carrying, albeit at only a modest 4-6gph fuel savings. All it lacks is "twin-engine reliability" which is, as we know, an open question. I don't know what the sales numbers are for the Seneca of late, but my money is on them watching sales for the Matrix and chopping the Seneca if the Matrix sells like they hope.
Logical conclusion, really. There is no "step-up" from the Seneca anymore. No Navajo, or Cheyenne. Even the PiperJet is a single, so the Sara/Matrix/Mirage/Meridian upgrade path works just fine. They'll keep the 'Nole and Arrow for training fleets. One wonders if the Warrior is on the way out with the advent of the LSAs.
Anyway that's my guess. Shame, though, especially since the Matrix is bound to be fussier and less-rugged than the Seneca I think it will replace.
As I was perusing Controller this evening (the printed version) I took a second look at the big 2 page spread Piper ad. You've probably seen it, it's been in virtually every aviation journal. Down the left hand is a series of pix of the aircraft with a one-word ad agency descriptor. Meridian, Mirage, Matrix, Saratoga, 6X, Archer all show up. I'm not surprised they left out Seminole, Warrior, and Arrow.
I was surprised that Seneca didn't make the cut. The more I think about it, the more I think the Seneca's days are numbered. The Matrix does everything the V does, with better load carrying, albeit at only a modest 4-6gph fuel savings. All it lacks is "twin-engine reliability" which is, as we know, an open question. I don't know what the sales numbers are for the Seneca of late, but my money is on them watching sales for the Matrix and chopping the Seneca if the Matrix sells like they hope.
Logical conclusion, really. There is no "step-up" from the Seneca anymore. No Navajo, or Cheyenne. Even the PiperJet is a single, so the Sara/Matrix/Mirage/Meridian upgrade path works just fine. They'll keep the 'Nole and Arrow for training fleets. One wonders if the Warrior is on the way out with the advent of the LSAs.
Anyway that's my guess. Shame, though, especially since the Matrix is bound to be fussier and less-rugged than the Seneca I think it will replace.